Holland & Knight Opens Dallas Office

MIAMI - (July 1, 2013) - Holland & Knight announced the opening today of its 18th U.S. office in Dallas, Texas. The office will initially include 12 partners who practice in the areas of corporate and commercial finance, mergers and acquisitions, restructuring and bankruptcy: James C. Chadwick, M. Matthew Fontane, Michelle White Suarez, Robert W. Jones, Scott C. Wallace, Kenneth M. Vesledahl, Fred S. Stovall, James L. Baker, Eric W. Kimball, Anthony J. Herrera, Brent R. McIlwain, and Eric M. Pfeifle. The firm also has hired 10 associate lawyers and a senior counsel to practice in the new office, and expects to make additional hires in the future.

Holland & Knight's Dallas lawyers will continue their representation of a broad range of clients in the financial services and corporate sectors, including financial institutions, investment funds, finance companies, private equity groups, hedge funds, asset managers, and other corporate and commercial enterprises. Their experience includes leveraged acquisitions and leveraged recapitalizations, senior and subordinated debt, syndicated bank facilities, private placements, asset-based lending, equipment and project financings, real estate financings, secured and unsecured term lending, and substantially all other forms of debt and equity financing, together with restructurings, workouts and bankruptcy.

In addition, the group advises institutions and funds on mergers, acquisitions and other business combinations, as well as matters involving securities, general corporate concerns, fund formation, import and export activities, and inbound and outbound investment activities. They work closely with, and provide ongoing legal advice to, company management and boards of directors on the business and financial transactions undertaken by these companies.

"The outstanding group of lawyers joining our firm will enable us to expand our existing corporate finance and restructuring practices. In addition, Holland & Knight's entry into the Texas market will offer client expansion opportunities for our other practices," said Steven Sonberg, Holland & Knight's managing partner. "Dallas is a dynamic legal and business community. We are fortunate to have 23 great lawyers join us. They have premiere clients and practices, and know the market well," Sonberg stated. He concluded by noting that "The establishment of the Dallas office will further the firm's strategic vision of expansion."

James C. Chadwick will lead the Dallas office as executive partner. Michelle White Suarez and Matthew Fontane also will assume leadership roles in Holland & Knight. Mr. Chadwick said, "We are pleased to become a part of Holland & Knight. There is significant combined value and overlap between our clients and practices and those of Holland & Knight. The opportunity to lead Holland & Knight's expansion into Texas allows us to become a more valuable local and national partner to our clients as they continue to grow and expand throughout the country. We are excited to be a part of Holland & Knight, and look forward to helping the firm grow in Texas and elsewhere."

The Holland & Knight Dallas office will be located in the Crescent office complex in Uptown Dallas, at 300 Crescent Court, 11th Floor. The telephone number of the office is (214) 964-9500.